THE TORIES are celebrating a double win after making significant gains in local council elections in England.

Held on the same day as the General Election – in which David Cameron stormed to an unexpected majority - the Conservatives have won an extra 518 seats so far and maintained control of 29 councils across the south and the Midlands.

Ukip was also boosted after taking control of its first council - in Thanet, Kent, where ex-leader Nigel Farage was defeated in his bid to become an MP.

More misery was heaped on Labour and the Liberal Democrats as they also lost council seats after seeing their number of MPs slashed.

But the Green Party put their own General Election disappointment behind them, winning seven council seats in Bristol where they have overtaken the shattered Lib Dems.

There were 9,200 seats being contested in 279 district, unitary and metropolitan authorities across England, excluding London.

The last council elections were in 2011 and counting did not begin until Friday, after the General Election results were declared, and continued on Saturday.

The Conservatives made gains in the south of England and the Midlands, where they also did well in Thursday's national poll that resulted handing Mr Cameron 331 MPs.

Labour suffered several losses in the Midlands, where they lost seven council seats in Stoke-on-Trent and four in Dudley.

The Lib Dems had a big reduction in their council-level influence, losing overall control of South Somerset, Three Rivers and Watford, where they also had setbacks in the General Election.

As predicted, Ukip did well in the north of England, including Rotherham where it picked up three seats.

New mayors have also been elected, with former Labour MP Sir Peter Soulsby retaining Leicester, Lib Dem Dave Hodgson winning in Bedford and Labour's David Budd winning in Middlesbrough.

Conservative David Oliver won in Torbay while independents Kate Allsop and Mike Starkie won in Mansfield and Copeland respectively.

As of early evening on Saturday, the Conservatives had won 4,985 seats - an increase of 518 - and now control 148 councils, an increase of 29.

Labour lost 197 seats, maintaining 2,099, and lost three councils, bringing their total to 72.

The Lib Dems have seen the number of councils they control halve from eight to just four and have lost 343 seats, with their total now at 591.

UKIP gained 76 seats to bring them up to 189, and won their first council.

The Greens, who control no councils overall, lost 14 seats with a total of 63.